Trust GXT 980 Redex Review: The Wireless and Very Affordable Gaming Mouse!

With the advent of teleworking, mobility has become a given. It is very nice to be able to work or connect from just about anywhere. But being mobile does not necessarily mean sacrificing comfort! Personally, I have never appreciated laptops. I need a good keyboard and mouse to be super efficient. After testing the compact keyboard GXT 834 Callaz, I now have in my hands her little sister, the GXT 980 Redex mouse.

After several weeks on the move with this mouse, here is my feedback on this device designed by Trust.

Unpacking and exterior appearance

First of all, I wanted to position this product. The GXT 980 Redex mouse from Trust is a wireless gaming mouse with very reasonable dimensions and an unbeatable price (€39.99). It is therefore a product aimed at gamers who are restless… but not only!

Not much to say about the mouse's cardboard packaging, it is simple and contains the essentials. No frills, but at this price, we don't ask for more as long as the effort is made on the device! Thus the box includes the Redex mouse, a 160cm USB-A to USB-C cable, a pamphlet on legal information and a quick start guide.

The USB cable is made of braided nylon. I really like this kind of attention that makes the cable more durable and more pleasant to the touch! This cable has a dual purpose. It plugs into the front of the mouse (like a wired mouse cable) and allows you to charge the device or simply turn it into a wired mouse (and thus use it while charging)! It's really practical and can help in case of a problem!

Let's get to the mouse. At first glance, the GXT 980 Redex has a very simple and clean design. The mouse gives an impression of quality with its matte black plastic. No frills in terms of shape. It's very classic and I like it. The curves are elegant although traditional. In addition, this mouse is relatively light at 86g despite the fact that it is wireless and therefore equipped with a battery.

The mouse has two side buttons (on the left) that can be used with the thumb in addition to the other more usual buttons. The mouse therefore includes a right click, a left click, a click wheel and a small central button.

Under the belly of the mouse, we will also notice two 3-position switches. The first corresponds to the polling rate settings (poll rate) and the second allows you to turn on, off and activate the mouse lighting.

But that's not all... this mouse has some surprises in store for us!

Indeed, this mouse has some under the hood and it is the case to say it. Two discreet little dots on its back allow us to understand that the hood can be removed. Just slide it backwards to reveal the entrails of the beast within which is nestled the USB radio receiver that will allow you to connect the mouse to your computer. No worries about the risk of an unsolicited opening of the hood, it is perfectly held by a magnet powerful enough to keep the hood perfectly in place.

In any case, this is a real plus point for this mouse, since it has a very discreet location for storing the receiver and thus avoiding losing it when traveling.

GXT 980 Redex Features and Technical Specifications

Now let's go into a little more technical details of this mouse!

And click!

The two main buttons (right click and left click) are equipped with Kailh mechanical switches that are supposed to be able to withstand more than 80 million clicks. That leaves a little margin! The pressures on these two buttons are well marked, but I regret however the fact that the clicks are a little too noisy for my taste! The scroll wheel makes a much lighter noise and is pleasant.

All buttons are programmable using a dedicated application that can be downloaded from the Trust website. It is thus possible to modify the function of each of the 6 available buttons. By default, the two side buttons are programmed to Forward/Backward and the small middle button behind the wheel allows you to cycle through the different DPI modes that we will discuss later.

Adjusting DPI and Polling Rate

Being a gaming mouse, the GXT 980 Redex has its own DPI and polling rate settings to help every gamer find their feet.

The polling rate, which is the frequency with which the mouse communicates with the computer, determines the position of the mouse on the screen. This rate is set using a switch located under the mouse and can take three values: 125 Hz, 500 Hz or 1000 Hz.

The DPI (Dot Per Inch – dots per inch) allows you to set the sensitivity of the mouse. The higher this number, the more the mouse will react to the slightest movements. The Redex mouse allows you to set a DPI range from 200 to 10. As seen above, you will have to click on the small central button to cycle between the 000 available DPI modes. The default values ​​can also be changed using the application dedicated to the mouse. It is then possible to change the DPI values ​​of each mode and to deactivate certain modes that you do not want to use to avoid having long loops when you want to change modes.

Color is life – LED lighting

To have some fun with the GXT 980 Redex's lighting, you'll have to go through the dedicated software again. The application allows you to select one of the 8 LED animation presets. However, only the "Static" mode (fixed light) allows you to select the color of the LEDs. The problem is that the color of the LEDs on the mouse doesn't really match those chosen on the color selector.

There is also a mode to turn off the LEDs completely if you are more of a fan of sobriety.

Finally, these are also the LEDs that will tell you when the mouse battery is low. They will start flashing every 3 seconds to encourage you to plug it in.

Macro Programming

Another point that is definitely geared towards “gaming” is the possibility of recording macros using the dedicated application.

Recorded macros can then be assigned to any key.

Connectivity

As seen above, this mouse can be connected quite simply using the supplied USB cable, but above all, it is equipped with radio connectivity.

To do this, you need to plug the USB dongle provided and stored under its cover into your computer and the connection is established immediately! Choosing to connect via the 2.4 GHz radio frequency allows you to reach a polling rate of up to 1000 Hz. You could regret the absence of Bluetooth, but as the system seems particularly efficient, it is rather a guarantee of avoiding possible lags.

Sleep and wake up

One little-documented feature of this mouse is its sleep mode. And I wanted to mention it because I found it worked particularly well.

When the mouse is not used for a certain number of minutes (I would say 5, but I haven't had the patience to really check), it goes into sleep mode. The LEDs turn off and the mouse no longer responds when you move it. This effective sleep mode helps extend the battery life of the mouse.

The wake-up is really well done since a simple click allows you to instantly wake up the beast! And when I say instantly, it really is immediate! The sleep mode is therefore not restrictive since the wake-up is very responsive.

Table of characteristics

Getting started

I clearly have a preference for mice that are moderate in size and not too heavy. The GXT 980 Redex therefore corresponds perfectly to my tastes from this point of view. The grip is comfortable both in terms of shape and the soft and pleasant coating.

The mouse glides perfectly on my mouse pad and I can only criticize its slightly noisy clicks.

To conclude on the Trust GXT 980 Redex mouse

After several weeks of daily use, I can say that I was won over by the Trust GXT 980 Redex mouse.

With quite respectable performance, this mid-range mouse really offers above-average value for money.

Its features and technical specifications will tick a lot of boxes for both gaming enthusiasts and users more interested in a reasonably sized wireless mouse. This size combines mobility with reduced bulk and weight, without compromising on comfort!

We also appreciate the existence of dedicated software allowing us to personalize its operation according to our tastes as well as its hybrid side allowing us to switch very easily from a wired mouse to a wireless and rechargeable mouse!

In short, the GXT 980 Redex is a nice surprise. available at €39.99 on Amazon.